Store We Adore: The Shak

April 26, 2014byRachel S. Peters

500 Crescent Ct., Suite 100 Dallas

Don’t be surprised if you hear a smattering of languages, accents, and dialects when you walk into The Shak in Dallas’ fashionable Uptown neighborhood. Thanks to its proximity to the luxurious Rosewood Crescent Hotel, The Shak—along with its sophisticated (slightly older) sister, designer emporium Stanley Korshak—might be the city’s most international shopping destination. But it’s not only the jet-setting clientele that gives The Shak its cosmopolitan reputation; a small team of passionate and knowledgeable buyers stock the 7-year-old store with unusual, on-the-fringe clothing, jewelry, and accessories from designers all over the world.

Location, Location

The Shak is nestled cozily in the skyscraping Rosewood Crescent complex, sitting just off the central courtyard. The exterior resembles a Victorian fun-fair, complete with trellised walls and trumpeting fountain. But inside The Shak’s glass doors, a modern world of edgy, avant-garde fashion awaits. Stained concrete floors give way to stark white (and occasionally color-blocked) walls. Wrought iron chandeliers hang from towering ceilings. Clothing is organized across the floor by designer; jewelry, both delicate and daring, is displayed in ample steel and glass cases.

The Brains

The brains behind The Shak’s carefully curated ­jewelry and accessory collections is buyer ­Lauren Lunsford, a veteran of Stanley Korshak (the ­department store occupies the space directly across the courtyard). “From a buying standpoint, I have free rein to carry out my vision for accessories,” says Lunsford, explaining that her criteria for selecting jewelry lines can be boiled down to three points: The product must be innovative, on or ahead of trend, and exclusive to Stanley Korshak. And she keeps a close eye on her shoppers. “Buyers at The Shak actually sit on the sales floors, so we get to see what piques our customers’ interest,” says Lunsford. “Consequently, I buy items with particular clients in mind.”

What’s Next

The idea for The Shak came into fruition seven years ago. Although Stanley Korshak had been a Dallas ­fixture since 1986, a rapidly expanding women’s contemporary department signaled a need for much more space. Thus, The Shak was born. While most customers shop at both stores, The Shak tends to draw a younger crowd, says Lunsford. Later this year, The Shak will begin expansion across the courtyard. Plans are in the works to not only double the square footage but also double the inventory, picking up more accessories and creating a men’s boutique within the new space. The e-commerce site will get a boost as well. “In the long run, I see The Shak positioned in that sweet spot between a boutique and a large retailer,” Lunsford says. “We like to think of ourselves as the best of both worlds.”